Portable tree stand

ABSTRACT

A portable tree stand for hunters use formed of a plurality of sections detachably secured together to support a seat section extending horizontally from the top of the erected sections to engage a tree. A chain and turnbuckle system encompasses the tree and draws a spike carrying bar into engagement with the tree with the spikes embedded in the tree.

United States Patent Maxwell 51 Nov. 28, 1972 [54] PORTABLE TREE STAND[72] Inventor: Edward Ralph Maxwell, 607 W.

Pope Street, Dunn, NC. 28334 [22] Filed: Jan. 15, 1971 [21] Appl. N0.:106,747

[52] US. Cl. ..182/107, 182/116, 182/178,

182/214 [51] Int. Cl. ..E06c 1/10 [58] Field of Search ..182/116, 93,214, 187,178, 182/107 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS550,175 11/1895 Holden ..182/178 3,057,431 10/1962 George ..182/1161,278,433 9/1918 Burn ..182/108 3,349,870 10/ 1967 Lieblein ..182/228FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 25,635 9/1906 Austria ..182/1 16 809,6117/1951 Germany ..182/187 Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. MachadoAttomey-Victor J. Evans & Co.

[ ABSTRACT A portable tree stand for hunters use formed of a pluralityof sections detachably secured together to support a seat sectionextending horizontally from the top of the erected sections to engage atree. A chain and turnbuckle system encompasses the tree and draws aspike carrying bar into engagement with the tree with the spikesembedded in the tree.

4 Clains, 8 Drawing Figures PORTABLE TREE STAND BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates toportable stands for attachment to a tree for a hunters use to observegame.

Summary of the Invention The tree stand includes a plurality of ladderforming sections which can be readily assembled in end to end relationand having a seat detachably secured to the upper end. A spike carryingbar is rigidly secured to the seat frame and a turnbuckle tightenedchain is secured to opposite ends of the bar and encompasses a tree inorder to draw the spikes of the spike bar into the tree.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a light weightportable tree stand which can be readily erected and secured to a treeto form a safe stand for a hunter.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingspecification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a front elevation of theinvention shown attached to a tree;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the stand;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of one of the joints;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG.4 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the jointbetween the upper ladder section and the seat section shown partiallybroken away and in section for convenience of illustration; and

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the disassembled stand bundled forcarrying.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings indetail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughoutthe several figures the reference numeral 10 indicates generally aportable tree stand constructed in accordance with the invention.

The portable tree stand 10 includes a base ladder section indicatedgenerally at 11, a pair of intermediate ladder sections indicatedgenerally at 12, an upper ladder section indicated generally at 13 and aseat section indicated generally at 14.

The base ladder section 11 includes a pair of extruded side rails l5, 16connected by a pair of rungs 17. The side rails 15, 16 are provided withfeet 18 for engagement with the ground. A spring clip 19 is secured by apair of rivets 20 to the upper end portions of the rails l5, 16 forreasons to be assigned. The spring clip 19 has an offset portion 21which is spaced outwardly from the rail 16 and parallel thereto. Theoffset portion 21 is flared at 22 on its outer end for reasons to beassigned.

THe intermediate ladder sections 12 include a pair of extruded aluminumside rails 23, 24 connected by a pair of rungs 17. A channel member 25is secured to the lower end of the rails 23, 24 by a pair of rivets 26.The charmel member 25 projects below the end of the rails 23, 24 and isadapted to engage in the rail l6 under the offset portion 21 of thespring clip 19. The upper end of the intermediate ladder section 12 isprovided with spring clips 19 cooperating with channel members 25 of thesection 12 thereabove.

The upper ladder section 13 includes a pair of upright parallel siderails 27, 28 connected by a pair of horizontal rungs 17. The upper endsof the side rails 27, 28 are beveled at 29 for reasons to be assigned.The lower ends of the side rails 27, 28 are equipped with channelmembers 25 for cooperation with the spring clip 19 of the upper end ofthe intermediate section 12. The upper end of the rails 27, 28 are eachprovided with spring clips 19 for reasons to be assigned.

The seat section 14 includes a pair of extruded aluminum horizontal siderails 30, 31 connected by a flat seat panel 32. The seat panel 32 has adownwardly projecting flange 33 integrally formed on the forward edgethereof to assist in strengthening the set section 14. A channel member34 is secured to each of the side rails 30, 31 by a pair of rivets 35.The channel member 34 has an angularly depending leg 36 which is adaptedto engage in the upper ends of the side rails27, 28 to cooperate withthe spring clips 19 to secure the seat section 14 to the upper laddersection 13. The side rails 30, 31 have their outer ends beveled at 37 tocooperate with the beveled end 29 of the side rails 27, 28 as is clearlyshown in FIG. 7. An elongate generally rectangular horizontal bar 38extends transversely of the seat section 14 and has a pair of shortmounting members '39 welded thereto and extending horizontallytherefrom. The mounting members 39 are secured to the side rails 30, 31by rivets 40 which extend therethrough. The bar 38 has an integral tooth41 formed centrally thereon and projecting outwardly from the seatsection 14. A pair of teeth 42 are integrally formed on the bar 38 onopposite sides of the tooth 41 and have a length greater then the lengthof the tooth 41.

The bar 38 extends beyond the rails 30, 31 at each end thereof and isprovided with a bore 43 at each end thereof to receive a turnbuckle 44connected thereto. A chain 45 is detachably connected to the turnbuckles44 and is adapted to extend about the trunk of a tree 46.

In FIG. 8 a bundle of the portable stand sections is illustratedconnected together by removeable straps 47.

In the use and operation of the invention the hunter carries the bundleillustrated in FIG. 8 into the woods until he finds a suitable tree 46for the erection of the portable tree stand 10. The straps 47 areremoved and one intermediate section 12 is assembled with the basesection 11 and a second intermediate section 12 is assembled on top ofthe first intermediate section 12. The upper ladder section 13 is thenassembled with the uppermost intermediate section 12 and finally theseat section 14 is assembled onto the upper end of the upper laddersection 13. The assembled stand is then engaged against a tree 46 andthe hunter passes the chain 45 around the tree 46 connecting it to theturnbuckles 44 at each end. The turnbuckles 44 are then tighteneddrawing the teeth 41, 42 into the wood of the tree locking the seatsection 14 thereto.

While the invention has been disclosed and described using extrudedaluminum side rails it should be understood that the side rails may alsobe formed ,of tubular aluminum material when desired.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention itshould be understood that numerous structural modifications andadaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

l. A portable tree stand comprising a base ladder section including apair of side rails having longitudinally extending channels, anintermediate ladder section including a pair of side rails havinglongitudinally extending channels, an upper ladder section including apair of side rails having longitudinally extending channels, means fordetachably securing the intermediate section to said base section andsaid upper section with said sections in aligned relation including achannel member secured in the channel side rail of one of said sectionsand projecting longitudinally to detachably engage in the channel siderail of another of said sections and a spring retainer on the other ofsaid sections for engaging said channel member, a seat section includinga channel. side rail and a channel member secured in said channel siderail of said seat section and projecting longitudinally to detachablyengage in the channel side rail of said upper section, and a springretainer on said upper section for engaging said channel member, a

' horizontal bar rigidly secured to said seat section, a plurality ofteeth integrally formed on said bar and projecting outwardly therefromoppositely of said seat, a pair of turnbuckles secured to opposite endsof said bar, and a tree encompassing chain detachably secured toopposite ends of said turnbuckle for securing said spikes to said treewith said spikes embedded therein.

2. A device as claimed in claim 6 wherein the means for securing saidladder sections together includes a projecting channel member on theterminal end of one of said members and a cooperating spring clip on theterminal end of the other of said members.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said ladder sectionsinclude a pair of extruded aluminum side rails rigidly connected by apair of spaced apart horizontally extending rungs.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bar is rigidly connectedto said side rails.

1. A portable tree stand comprising a base ladder section including apair of side rails having longitudinally extending channels, anintermediate ladder section including a pair of side rails havinglongitudinally extending channels, an upper ladder section including apair of side rails having longitudinAlly extending channels, means fordetachably securing the intermediate section to said base section andsaid upper section with said sections in aligned relation including achannel member secured in the channel side rail of one of said sectionsand projecting longitudinally to detachably engage in the channel siderail of another of said sections and a spring retainer on the other ofsaid sections for engaging said channel member, a seat section includinga channel side rail and a channel member secured in said channel siderail of said seat section and projecting longitudinally to detachablyengage in the channel side rail of said upper section, and a springretainer on said upper section for engaging said channel member, ahorizontal bar rigidly secured to said seat section, a plurality ofteeth integrally formed on said bar and projecting outwardly therefromoppositely of said seat, a pair of turnbuckles secured to opposite endsof said bar, and a tree encompassing chain detachably secured toopposite ends of said turnbuckle for securing said spikes to said treewith said spikes embedded therein.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 6wherein the means for securing said ladder sections together includes aprojecting channel member on the terminal end of one of said members anda cooperating spring clip on the terminal end of the other of saidmembers.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said laddersections include a pair of extruded aluminum side rails rigidlyconnected by a pair of spaced apart horizontally extending rungs.
 4. Adevice as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bar is rigidly connected tosaid side rails.